Hairy-handed crab
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| Hemigrapsus crenulatus (H. Milne-Edwards, 1837) |
The hairy-handed crab, Hemigrapsus crenulatus, is a marine large-eyed crab of the family Grapsidae, endemic to the sea coasts of New Zealand.
The hairy-handed crab is found in sheltered places on mud flats and sand flats, and under boulders on the rocky shore intertidal. They can live in brackish water. They have two hairy pads on the inner and under sides of its nippers. They are very effective scavengers, and it is thought that the hairy pads on its claws allow them to catch food particles such as diatoms in it. With its mouthparts, it can then feed from its hairy hands.
Males have larger claws than females, but left and right hand claws are similar.
Females come into berry in spring, from October to December, and spawn more than once each year (June to February). Their 8,000 to 30,000 eggs (0.27 mm) change colour from brownish-yellow to almost transparent, and hatch after 8 to 12 weeks.
Predators are fish like red cod, sea perch and red gurnard.
Coloration is greeny-yellow on its back with white patches, covered with tiny dark purple or reddish spots. The upper sides of their forearms (cheliped carpus and prodopus) are marked with deep purple-brown. The fingers of their claws are white with small brown tips. Legs are greeny-yellow with dark purple spots.
